~ Auto Buzz ~: 2016 Kawasaki Z800 – FIRST RIDE REVIEW Z wait is over for Kawasaki’s affordable middleweight streetbike.

There’s little doubt that the sales success of the Yamaha FZ-09 sport naked has prompted Kawasaki USA to go after a chunk of a growing segment with its own strategically priced middleweight streetfighter. The new for the U.S. 2016 Kawasaki Z800 is a readymade player, having become Kawasaki’s number-one-selling street model in Europe since its 2013 debut abroad. It all makes perfect sense as the $8399 Z800 fills a price and displacement void that has existed between the Ninja 650 and Z1000 in Kawasaki’s stateside lineup. Well, make that 49 States for this year while Kawasaki works through the process of California emissions certification. It’s tough luck for Golden State residents, but the rest of the country can enjoy this fun and affordable addition to the growing middleweight naked segment right now with units presently shipping to dealers.

Ironically, Kawasaki hosted a press ride for the new naked in Palm Springs, California, where I spent a day in the saddle “polluting” the local mountain air. Transit from our staging point at the Parker Hotel through numerous traffic signals leading to the pristinely paved Hwy 74 offered a sense of the Z800’s inner-city manners. The 806cc liquid-cooled inline-four is ultra-smooth throughout the lower half of its rev range. Abundant low-range torque, excellent fueling and throttle response along with very fluid clutch and shift action made pleasing relaxed work of leaving stops, short shifting up through the six-speed box, and coming to a smooth stop at the subsequent red light. The Z is narrow waisted, making the reach to the ground seem less than its 32.8-inch seat height might suggest. The saddle is on the firm side and the riding posture sporting, with highish pegs and forward reach to the attractive tapper-style tubular handlebar. Ample legroom within the tank cutouts will accommodate taller riders and fit my 5-foot-10 self very well.

2016 Kawasaki Z800 on-road cornering action

As we hit the twisting ascent from the desert floor up the mountainside, I soon discovered the buzzier side to the Z’s character. Once revs surpass 6000 rpm, an onset of engine vibration builds and becomes very noticeable through the grips, frame and seat. An indicated speed of 75 mph on the all-LCD dash equates to 6000 rpm in top gear, sneaking in just under the buzz and allowing a pleasant experience and clear rear view through the mirrors at the legal limit. Power delivery is linear all the way to the rev limiter that cuts in at 12,200 rpm, as displayed on the vertical bar-graph tachometer. Drives off corners hard on the throttle always felt tractable and controlled. If wheelies are your wish, the Z800 doesn’t possess nearly the snap of the FZ-09, and requires a bit of clutch abuse for such antics.

The KYB inverted fork and piggyback reservoir shock don’t appear to be cost-cutting components. While rebound damping and spring preload can be altered front and rear, the standard calibration proved excellent, offering good bump compliance yet maintaining balanced and composed handling at a sporting pace. The Dunlop Sportmax D214 radials offered good cornering grip and a neutral steering feel even when trail braking to the apex on corner entry. I found no fault in the power and sensitivity from the Nissan ABS-equipped brake system at a spirited street pace. While the Z800 isn’t an all-new model it’s a welcome fresh face on our shores. And unlike many first-year machines, this one arrives with an existing extensive knowledge base and healthy catalog of accessories from its years in the market overseas. Price and performance are in line with the competition in the class, though the FZ-09’s engine beats it on immediacy and personality, while the Z800 gets better marks for OE suspension performance. A head-to-head comparison awaits to see where the best overall balance lies.

SPECIFICATIONS
	2016 Kawasaki Z800
ENGINE	liquid-cooled, DOHC, inline-four, four valves per cylinder
DISPLACEMENT	806cc
BORE x STROKE	71.0 x 50.9mm
COMPRESSION RATIO	11.9:1
FUEL SYSTEM	DFI with 34mm Keihin throttle bodies
IGNITION	TCBI with electronic advance
TRANSMISSION	Six-speed
FINAL DRIVE	Sealed chain
FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION / WHEEL TRAVEL	41mm inverted fork with rebound damping and spring preload adjustability / 4.7 in.
REAR WHEEL SUSPENSION / WHEEL TRAVEL	Bottom-link Uni-Trak horizontal monoshock with piggyback reservoir, stepless rebound damping, adjustable spring preload / 5.4 in.
FRONT TIRE	120/70ZR-17 Dunlop Sportmax D214
REAR TIRE	180/55ZR-17 Dunlop Sportmax D214
FRONT BRAKES	Dual 277mm petal-type rotors with four-piston calipers, ABS
REAR BRAKE	Single 216mm petal-type rotor with single-piston caliper, ABS
FRAME TYPE	High-tensile steel backbone
RAKE / TRAIL	24.0º / 3.9 in.
OVERALL LENGTH	82.7 in.
OVERALL WIDTH	31.5 in.
OVERALL HEIGHT	41.3 in.
GROUND CLEARANCE	5.9 in.
SEAT HEIGHT	32.8 in.
CLAIMED CURB WEIGHT	509 lb.
FUEL CAPACITY	4.5 gal.
WHEELBASE	56.9 in.
COLOR CHOICES	Metallic Spark Black, Flat Ebony